Two-goal Jordan Nobbs helped make it it a magnificent seven straight wins for WSL leaders Arsenal as they beat Birmingham City 3-1 on Sunday.

The Gunners were made work hard for their win in a tight match that did not really catch fire until the second half.

But Nobbs’ 59th-minute opener sparked a frantic eight-minute spell that brought three goals to edge the game in Arsenal’s favour.

Emma Follis immediately levelled, only for Arsenal to regain the lead with Danielle Van de Donk’s 67th-minute penalty.

Nobbs made sure of the victory with her second in injury time.

Both sides made a cautious start and it was not until the 30th minute that either keeper was tested, when Birmingham’s Ann-Katrin Berger produced an outstanding save to tip Nobbs’ 25-yard shot around the post.

There was nothing Berger could do when beth Mead’s pass sent Nobbs clear and the Arsenal midfielder lifted her shot over the keeper to open the scoring.

The lead lasted just a matter of seconds as Follis was allowed to run unchecked into the box to slide home from a tight angle.

But Arsenal were gifted the lead back when the tenacious Lisa Evans had her progress halted by Aofie Mannion in the box and Van de Donk sent Berger the wrong way from the spot.

Birmingham rarely threatened again and Nobbs sealed victory with her eighth goal of the season in the closing seconds.

Nobbs said: “I’m glad to be just getting in those positions and scoring goals. They were one of our toughest challenges yet. They played out from the back very well and their keeper is very controlled on the ball.

“Joe (Montemurro) was frustrated at half-time that we had not got our press right and we changed that.

“Sometimes you have to work harder to win games and that shows where we’re at. We are winning those games when it is tough.

“It was a tough game, but in the second half we showed a better team performance. It was difficult to concede so quickly after we scored. It happens, but we picked ourselves up and played some great football in the second half.

“We all relaxed after the third goal. We keep moving forward and take every game as it comes.”

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